Context and Content: Harold Innis, Marshall McLuhan, and George Grant and the Role of Technology in Modern Society

Philip Massolin

Abstract

Social science and science grew significantly in Canadian universities during and after World War II. This growth, along with a growth in consumerism and mass culture, signalled the decline of the centrality of the humanities in the curricula of Canadian universities and the rise of the technological society. Harold Innis, Marshall McLuhan, and George Grant were leading critics of this trend. Their criticism was shaped by the home front experience of Canada during World War II and the economic boom which followed the war. Although not linked through friendships, professional collaboration, or common academic disciplines, their thoughts and criticisms of technology and mass culture were shaped in a context which they shared.